If I Was The Key And You Were The Locket
by EricaLynnie
Summary: The sequel to My Secret Admirer. Johnny and Ellie are finally together, but can they withstand the events up ahead trying to tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm back! I'm really surprised that it didn't take me too long to come with a plot and everything.

So, yes, this is the sequel to My Secret Admirer! Which is pretty awesome because I never thought I'd be writing a sequel to anything.

I have a few goals for this new story: updating on time and making chapters longer!

And, thank you to all that reviewed on the last chapter of My Secret Admirer! They meant tons! So, those of you that asked here is the sequel!

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"_How do I love thee? Let me count the ways._

_I love thee to the depth and breadth and height _

_My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight _

_For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. _

_I love thee to the level of everyday's _

_Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. _

_I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; _

_I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. _

_I love thee with the passion put to use _

_In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. _

_I love thee with a love I seemed to lose _

_With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath, _

_Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose, _

_I shall but love thee better after death"_

_ -Elizabeth Barrett Browning_

If I Was The Key And You Were The Locket

"No! No! I didn't say that, you idiot! " I laughed out at the dinner table, flinging some peas at Two-Bit from across the table.

It was a typical dinner for all of us at my house. Food flinging, shouting, and scarfing down your mashed potatoes as fast as you can before anybody else can grab them. Because around here, mashed potatoes are a delicacy. But, peas on the other hand…we all sort of wish that Darry would get it through his thick skull and just buy more potatoes for us. Is that too much to ask?

A lot has changed since the whole, 'scavenger hunt letter ordeal' four months ago. I mean _a lot. _Darry is engaged to the lovely girl from the bar at Buck Merrill's. Which I'm glad he never found out about. If he ever knew I saw him at Buck Merrill's, I'd be toasted. Her name is Maria and she's perfect for Darry, a real gem. I guess they met at the super market one day. He ran into her cart and the rest is history, typical Darry. She's a preschool teacher and she's never not over at our humble abode. Maria's already a part of the gang; she's used to the constant teasing from Two-Bit or the always chipper attitude of Dally.

And as for me and Johnny well, we've been going strong for a while now.

After I got home from that terrible night of searching for pointless items, Johnny had _kissed_ me. Kissed me and not her. Not some lazy peck on the lips either, something you'd see in a movie, with sparks and everything. It was amazing.

_Four Months Ago_

_Johnny pressed his palm into my cheek, the other hand brought up to tip my chin up, so that we were both staring into each other's eyes. gray meeting brown. I was backed up against my bedroom door, breaths coming in shallowly at all of the contact. Because this literally was a dream come true. Like a trip to Disney World for a little kid. And it was nice; it felt safe and warm, like home. Johnny was my Disney World, my happiest place on Earth. And then when I felt lips on mine I felt like my whole body was on fire. Like nothing could ever be better than this moment. _

_The kiss only lasted a few seconds before he pulled back, letting go of me to grab the white envelope from his back jeans pocket, eyes never leaving my own. _

"_I-I…Chip gave it to me…he said he found it in that book you let him borrow when I saw him at the Dingo earlier. That…that it has my name on it." He licked his lips seriously, eyes searching mine for answers, bringing the letter up and pointing to where I scrawled out his name only a few days ago. _

_I took a deep breath, trying to get my mind to think straight, because it felt like the whole world was spinning completely out of control. When I tried to speak my mouth felt so dry and my vocal chords stopped working. _

"_A-And then I opened it and read it and…I didn't know you felt that way, Ellie," Johnny said sadly, as if it physically hurt him, a toned arm reaching up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. _

_Swallowing hard and taking yet another deep breath, I finally found the strength to actually speak words, " Y-Yeah….for a while, Johnny. I just…and then you started going with Troll- I mean, Mary." _

_Johnny shook his head, "I like you too, Ell, for a while. You're my best friend, and let me tell you, it hurt not talking to you." _

_And with that my chest panged with guilt. "O-Oh, Johnny…. I didn't…I thought you were all about her…" All those months, weeks, days, minutes, seconds not talking to him finally felt real. How it physically hurt the both of us to have no contact at all. This was real. This is real._

_And with that he just shook his head, "She's not for me at all, I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was thinking." He reached down and laced our fingers together, his thumbs running over the back of my hand, making me shiver. _

"_Then…what are you going to do?" I quirked an eyebrow, my chest moving slowly up and down with each breath._

_Johnny licked his lips again, eyes flickering from my eyes down to my lips and then back up. "Well, first, I'm going to kiss you again, because that was fantastic. And then I'm going to go break up with Mary. She's nothing compared to you."_

_My heart faltered and I blinked fast, trying to hold back another emotional breakdown, I didn't need another one after a whole night of them. This was more than I could ever imagine, this is what it actually feels like to have your everything come true. _

_Without looking away from his eyes, I whispered, "I'd like that very much." _

_And then all I felt was being picked up by my legs and being carried over to my bed, where we kissed the morning away until we'd finally figured everything out. _

Present

After that amazing morning, everything had fallen into place.

And for the first time in a while I'd actually been happy. Really happy. Four months of wearing his worn out jean jacket, kisses in the lot, and surprise dates to the movies. It is absolutely perfect, like a fairy tale. Johnny is the best type of boyfriend you can ever ask for, a real gentleman. When he walks me to class he carries my book bag for me and always kisses me goodbye. Well, actually, every time he leaves he kisses me goodbye. Even if it is for a few minutes.

And I think kissing might be one of my favorite things about our relationship. It was like we fit perfectly together, our lips made for each other. Johnny was my first kiss ever, and I'm hoping he'll be my last first kiss.

In the beginning of our relationship, we kept it a secret for a few weeks. Just so we could settle into each other without being picked on by the gang.

A secret I'd been allowed to tell Linsey. Because either way, what girl doesn't tell her best friend everything?

So, for the first few weeks it was secret kisses on the back porch or little glances from across the room. Holding hands under tables and brushings of fingers against fingers when we walked beside each other .The only time we'd actually get to see each other was before school in the lot, which was alright, but nothing comfortable or close to say the least.

The guys eventually found out one day when Two-Bit, Steve, and Soda came home from the DX to find us holding hands and kissing, our school books laying out in front of us on the coffee table. We'd started studying, but then we got a little distracted with our hands. A couple seconds into the kiss and all of a sudden I hear the screen door slam shut and the torturing beginning. Which was something I don't think I'll ever live down. Two-Bit wouldn't stop for the whole night with the 'little lovebirds' jokes, and Darry and Soda's incredulous stares at Johnny.

Which of course, led to the most awkward conversation I've ever had to have with Darry in my whole entire life. No one should ever be put to the torture of having your older brother give you 'the talk'.

No one.

No one ever.

Not even the devil himself.

Because that, was extremely painful and embarrassing.

Even after that completely and totally awkward conversation, I'd thought nothing could be worse than that. I thought wrong.

The crude and rude mouth of Two-Bit Matthews was pretty terrible, especially when it's encouraged by all the other guys.

After a few weeks of torture, the teasing stopped a little, only a small joke being made here or there. Of course, there wasn't a lot of kissing or cuddling in front of them, because that would be a holy disaster.

And now, four months later we sit at the dinner table with everyone else, holding hands underneath the table, occasionally Johnny giving our hands tiny squeezes that make my heart skip a beat.

We both laughed as Two-Bit ducked from my pelting of peas.

"Hey, quit that or you'll be the one cleaning it up later!" Darry reprimanded from the head of the table, and I really did try my best to stop laughing.

Maria rolled her eyes and patted Darry's hand to get him to settle down, smiling nonetheless.

Looking over at Johnny, I could just feel my heart melt. His eyes were already locked on my cheek.

And let me tell you, when the boy of your dream is looking at you like that, it makes your heart stop completely and you turn into complete mush. And by that I mean, all sparkly eyed, like nothing could make them tear their eyes away from yours.

I bit my lip and whispered lowly just so he could hear, "Something caught your eye?"

Johnny laughed and scrunched up his nose in delight, whispering back to me, "Just this girl I like. She's prettier than a string of pearls."

I could feel the blush rising on my cheeks as I whispered even lower to him, "Oh? I bet she's pretty special, isn't she?"

Johnny just laughed again, squeezing my hand in a way that made my heart flip flop. "You could say that, darling."

I leaned into say something else but was suddenly pelted by a spoon of peas, Johnny taking the worst of it.

I whipped my head around to glare at Two-Bit. "Watch it, Matthews."

He just put on that deviously innocent grin. "I don't know nothing about what you're talking about, Pony Curtis."

"Oh, I think you do."

Two-Bit took that into consideration and shrugged, that wicked smile still on his face. "No, but what I do know is that I say you and in a pretty sweltering situation the other day."

And with that heat flooded both of Jonny and mine's cheeks, saying in unison, "Shut it, Two-Bit."

The rest of the night going on like any other, homework, playing cards, and reading on the couch tucked into Johnny's side. With his arm around me, nothing could ever come in my way. The occasional kiss pressed into my hair, something slight that no one would notice, but would always tug on my heart strings.

It's moments like these that just make my heart fill with so much happiness.

Halfway through my reading- when Gatsby tells Jordan that he's in love with Daisy- Johnny whispered in my ear, "I think Darry's a little smitten with Maria, yeah?"

I giggled a little and looked up to whisper in his own ear, "They're adorable, Johnny. I'm so excited for them to get married, really."

"Are they as cute as us," he asks nonchalantly, rolling a piece of my hair in between his forefinger and thumb. Which was a usual move for him; Johnny tended to do these little things like playing with my hair or fingers all of the time. Which, of course, I would never deny him the pleasure of doing. What's a girlfriend for anyways?

And with little gestures like those, I died of cuteness and happiness, blush finding its way onto my cheeks as I shake my head back and forth, "Of course they aren't, we're the cutest couple in the room. Darry and Maria are the second and Two-Bit and his far off dreams are in dead last."

Laughing and joking the night away like that, was perfect.

Absolute bliss.

But when the night ended and we had to be separated, it was sort of fun.

Even though Johnny and I are dating, Darry would never rid Johnny of his place to stay for the night. He'd rather Johnny sleep on the couch than in the lot. When we started dating Darry was a little well…protective of me. Not that he always isn't. Come to mention it, Soda and him tie for first place of the, 'let's over protect Ellie contest and watch her suffocate over our overbearing-ness' which, you know, was a little much sometimes.

But it's something they've come to terms with now.

I'm more of an adult than they think I am, I can take care of myself.

Anyways, 'goodnights' and 'goodbyes' were always bittersweet with Johnny and I. J

Our routine was simple.

I'd get changed into some old sweats and brush my hair and the like. Then he'd greet me at the bathroom door and walk me the whole five steps to my bedroom. A simple kiss on the lips was all it took to make my stomach erupt in a thousand butterflies.

It wasn't one of those goodbyes where it was our last moment and we'd never be seeing each other for hours on end, like those terrible Soc couples at school. When the boyfriends drop their girlfriends off at class and they start kissing like the worlds is going to end, sucking each other's faces off. That was always a nice thing to see in the morning.

Thank you, Socs.

After having a soft, "Good night, Ellie. Sleep tight," whispered in my ear. I could fall asleep at complete ease. No nightmares whatsoever. Just pleasant dreams about anything and everything.

Everything is right in place.

Everything is good.


	2. A Whole New World

Author's Note: Hey guys! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday/break! And I most definitely hope that Santa brought you everything your little heart desired!

I'm so incredibly happy with the amount of reviews I got! I'm so happy** An Outsider Looking In, primmyeverdeen12, SeeingBeliever98, OutsiderLover, GreaseMonkey014, jennnaaelizabeth!**

I was so happy to start writing this new story because I actually got to put some romance in it! So, here's a big shout out to GreaseMonkey014 and greasy girl love's stories! They're awesome!(:

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"_I can show you the world,_

_Shining, shimmering, splendid._

_Tell me princess,_

_When did you last let your heart decide?" A Whole New World~Aladdin_

On June 16, 1969 Johnny and I went out on our first date. The night was unusually cold for summer and the leaves on the trees lining the streets danced in the wind. Clouds covered the sky with the moon barely peeking out and making an appearance, but there was no rain whatsoever.

It was the first day of summer vacation for all of us kids in Tulsa, and excitement filled every space in the air. Everyone was so excited to let go and get over the school year. Bad grades, detentions, and dog eaten homework were completely forgotten- until the next year, of course.

Each year, the PTA at Tulsa High School threw a massive carnival at the end of the year for its student body. As if to congratulate us all for our good behaviors….right.

The carnival itself, though, is absolutely outstanding. Almost like a world's fair. There are cotton candy stands and concession games with giant teddy bears to be won. Secretly, it's always been a little dream of mine to have someone win me the big pink one in the back of the little tent. It's been mocking me every year since Darry started high school. I mean, I could've always asked Darry to win it for me, but where's the fun in that?

Not that anyone would ever know about that giant teddy bear.

Because I'm a greaser.

And greasers don't like giant stuffed pink teddy bears.

….but this one does.

The best part about the carnival, though, is the big Ferris Wheel. It is the biggest thing at the fair. The whole wheel is a fire engine red color and the seats are painted gold. The best thing about it, though, is that when you're all the way at the top, you can see all over Tulsa.

You can see the big blue and white sign that says DX, the golden arch in the sky representing McDonald's, and if you look really close, you can see your own house. I could sit up there for hours and think, and think about absolutely anything. I wish the ride attendants would let us bring notepads and pencils up there, because I could write a novel.

All the other people in the carnival look like ants. Sometimes when I'm riding I make up stories in my head about the carnival ants. It's truly a magical ride. That is always, without a doubt, ruined by the members of the gang. For the past two years, I've been mooned twice by both Steve and Two-Bit. And then there was last year where they threw peanuts at me. Because they claimed that I, "Looked like I was hungry." I was not amused, to say the least.

Anyways, back to the date itself, it was awkward and sloppy. We were both so…so nervous. We were already an item to everyone else and even to ourselves.

But in all reality, we'd never even been on an official date. I mean, you can't count all the times when we were just friends and we'd go to the movies together. That definitely doesn't count.

But, we have kissed a few times on the rare occasion.

So, whenever Johnny picked me up that night, my heart was pounding faster than it ever has. I think if I had put a hand on my cheek I would've been able to feel my heartbeat through that. I spent the whole day picking out my outfit, channeling my "Inner-Fashionista" as Linsey would say.

After three grueling hours of getting ready, I felt confident.

Something I wasn't always very used to.

It's not that I'm ugly, it's just…I live in a house full of guys. It's not like they would stop and comment on a skirt I'm wearing just out of the blue or anything. I swear, guys are the most stoic people I've ever talked to. Unless they're looking at your boobs, of course.

That's another thing: compliments. You rarely get them at all in my house. When my Mama was still around she'd make it a point to comment on something she loved about one of her children every day. But I always got extra compliments from her, and I knew that I got the extra attention from her because I was hers.

I'm not saying that I wasn't my Dad's baby girl, either. I'm just saying that I was just so close to my Mama, she was like a best friend. She was my best friend. I could come to her with anything at all, and she'd always be supportive, and always end the conversation with a hug.

I think that's one of the things I miss the most about her: her hugs.

They were always so warm and inviting. She smelt like cinnamon, flowers, and something totally all her own. She never wore any perfume except for this vanilla stuff that she'd put on every once in a while. And the only reason why she did it was because my Daddy loved it.

So, that night when I looked in the mirror, I decided to finish off the outfit with a dab of her vanilla perfume. As my eyes traveled up the mirror, my confidence grew and grew.

The red dress I picked was classy, yet a little short. It came down to my mid-thigh and the sleeves went down to my elbows. The fabric of the dress was a pink-ish red with blue roses covering it from my head to toe. The back was my favorite part, though. It had a little bit of the top cut out of it, leaving little pieces of fabric to hold it all together. A little bit rebellious for me, but, Linsey loved it.

( . A/N: So, this is actually a dress of mine and it's my favorite dress in the world, and I just can totally envision Ellie wearing something like it. The link is to the actual dress.) Thank goodness I can go on my own shopping trips now. And I'm praying that I can still go after Darry and Soda see the dress I chose.

To top off my outfit I wore black nylons underneath and some black ballet flats. A pair of simple pear studs that my Mama wore on her wedding day, and some make up. Which is a totally big deal for me because I've never worn it. Most of the time I took getting dressed up was based on learning how to do make up, myself.

Now, I know, I know. Why didn't you just call Linsey over and save yourself so much time? I'm too stubborn to try and I wouldn't dare walking through that living room to get to the phone looking like a clown with all the guys in there. So, I hope to God that my face looks acceptable for people in the real world.

A little bit of foundation, some tan blush, a thick line of black eyeliner, and a little bit of mascara, I felt ready. Except, wait…I sniffed my armpits. Yes, I was ready.

As ready as I'll ever be.

I grabbed my wallet and came out of my room for the first time since nine o'clock this morning, already feeling hot and blush-y even though

I hadn't caught anyone's attention yet. Squeezing my eyes shut I finally let my bedroom door click shut and a pair of eyes landed on me.

The pair I was definitely most worried about.

Darry's.

His light grey eyes widened slightly as they looked up and down my small frame, jaw tense. I could literally feel myself burning in embarrassment. After a few seconds he cleared his throat, opened his mouth and started to say, "You look-"

"Holy mother of God!"

I covered my face with my hands, careful not to mess up my makeup. Of course, Two-Bit had to have the first word. My face was a beat red, I think this was more embarrassing than falling in a pile of mud while I tried to play football with the guys.

I looked to Soda who was smiling at me from the coffee table and I could feel my heart soar. Soda actually cared. He'd stop and ask you how your day was without hesitation. He listened and one day, he'd find a great girl. I walked over to him, smiling.

Soda smiled up at me proudly, "You look absolutely stunning, Ellie."

I chewed on my bottom lip softly, blushing profusely, "Thank you, Soda." I reached up a hand and brushed my curly red-brown hair over to one shoulder, feeling every eye in the room on me.

The room consisted of Darry, who was sitting on his rightful throne-a.k.a. his recliner- and Two-Bit, Steve, and Soda who were playing a lousy game of poker.

And all eyes were trained on one person…me. It couldn't get any more awkward than this.

I swallowed thickly, "What are y'all looking at?" I managed to throw in a little attitude, putting a hand on my hip.

Steve coughed and looked away, hiding a smirk. Darry looked over me and licked his lips in concentration. "Are you sure you have enough money?"

I nodded, holding up my wallet. "Plenty, Darry. It's a date, not a trip to Disney World."

He scowled at the word date, making the rascals at the poker table laugh, as if it was an inside joke.

I rolled my eyes and noticed Darry's tenseness. I put a small hand on Darry's bicep. "Relax, Darry. I'm not going out with any old kid, it's Johnny. You love him like your own."

Darry relaxed into my touch, lifting his hand and patting my own. "I know, I know. I ain't worried."

And with that, I couldn't hold back a snort.

"Yeah, Dar, you'd think you were the one going on a date!" Two-Bit jeered from the other side of the room.

And then it was Darry's turn to roll his eyes, "Right, Bit. I'm afraid to go on a date…I'm engaged, you idiot."

I took my hand off of Darry and sat down on our worn out blue sofa.

"Where is Maria anyways?"

"She went by the retirement home to see her Grandma. I gotta pick her up in a bit, so I trust you to be home by ten, right?"

I nodded slowly, "Of course, Darry."

A few seconds later Johnny and Dally came walking in. And in that moment, all my fear and nerves washed away. Johnny was mine and there wasn't a thing to worry about.

I stood up, smiling at him as the room grew silent to watch us, Dally leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen in a cool stance.

I walked over to him and smiled brightly. Johnny was in a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt that fit snug over his chest and biceps.

Over the years, Johnny had grown more buff than ever. He was finally looking like the seventeen year old he was. I could barely even remember what he looked like back when he was just sixteen and the smallest guy in the gang.

But now, his shirt stretched far over his chest, his tanned skin peeking out a little at the top. And let me tell you, the muscles on his arms did not go unnoticed. They were one of my favorite places to touch Johnny. Whenever I could manage I would place a hand on his arm, willing it to flex underneath my touch. But it's never happened. And I'm pretty sure when that happened, I would just about melt.

And Johnny was tall, he towered over my small frame of '5'4 . Which was always cute when he'd have to bend down to kiss my cheek or my lips, making my cheeks heat up.

Johnny was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome.

He was the first to talk, running a big hand through his black locks,

"You sure look pretty, Ellie."

My cheeks heated up. Dammit, those stupid cheeks of mine would be the death of me. "Thanks, Johnny." I looked up into those big brown puppy eyes and smiled softly.

He cleared his throat and looked around the quiet room, putting a hand on the small of my back, his fingers touching the bare skin that the dress didn't cover. "Want to get going? The carnival isn't going to last forever."

I nodded. "Yeah, let's go." I let him guide me out, waving behind me to the all too quiet living room.

As we walked outside I almost did a double take.

Yesterday the weather had been so hot and unbearable and today it couldn't be more than forty degrees out. Maybe I should go back inside to get a jacket…

But Johnny's hand on my back made it a little hard to think coherently.

He walked me over to the side of the car he must of borrowed from Dally.

Now, let me tell you something: chivalry is not dead. Hardly. At all. It lives and breathes in the form of Johnny Cade.

Johnny opened the passenger door for me and helped me in, walking around the front and getting in the driver's side, buckling himself into his seat.

I watched him intently, holy Jesus, he had become even more beautiful overnight. I smiled as he turned his head, our eyes meeting together.

"Hi," he breathed out.

I smiled and wanted nothing more than to touch his cheeks. The crinkles by his eyes. Trace his lips with my thumb and never leave this car for the rest of my days.

"Hi," I breathed back, my whole insides tingling.

Johnny smiled and leaned forward, connecting our lips together for the first time in a couple of days. And let me tell you something: it was so nice.

Johnny's lips were rough, but not chapped in a gross way. They felt nice against my own soft ones. I let out a sigh of absolute content, my hands reaching up and touching his cheeks tentatively. And God, they're so nice. I could stay like this forever.

He kept pressing his lips against mine for a while before he reached up and took my hands off of his face, lacing our fingers together and setting them on my lap.

God, this was perfect.

He was perfect.

What did I do to deserve him or his delightful kisses?

But apparently forever ended a few seconds later with a lazy smack of our lips. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he let go of my hands, turning on the car and revving the engine.

And the night had just begun.


End file.
